Idiots and Opportunists
by Citizen Cane
Summary: Alternate universe one-shot, a take on the aftermath of the incident occurring in Season 8's "Chase". Unapologetic Chark and random Houdams to boot.


**(AN: Thank you very much to all of you who have taken the time to read my other Chark stories- you guys are awesome and I'm grateful for your support and appreciation. This one is a two-fer, almost: Chark and Houdams, anyone? As always, I give my thanks and tip my hat to the fantastic company that helps make most of these stories possible. Without the friendship and ideas, I'd be pretty shit out of luck. AU stuff belonging to something trying to resemble the Season 8 timeline. Enjoy.)**

He shouldn't have had the scalpel in the room.

It was the only thought in his head as he stared at Adams, disbelief stealing his breath away. The glimmer of silver seemed otherworldly and his brain never fully processed the fact that it was indeed a blade sticking out of his body. Robert Chase fell hard and as he felt the cold stone slap of the tile against his cheek his final thought never truly finished before the lights went out about him.

You're such an idiot.

"You're such an idiot…"

Park scolded him sadly, reaching over to adjust an IV bag. Having been by his bedside nearly the entire time, her frustration with him was diluted by her own fatigue. She was just too tired to be furious at him. Silently, she went about the business of tending to him and moved the clinic robe so she could get to the bandages at his side, her hands running over his chest- a chest she fell asleep on during movies, a chest she kissed with growing frequency, a chest she slapped constantly. Chi Park held back tears that she would cry in private and started to peel away the medical tape and gauze.

He woke with a gasp and a heave, hand clumsily moving to grab her wrist and she noticed how weak his grip was instantly. She could only stare at him.

"…c-cold." He said, trying to focus his vision and find where she was in the room.

She helped him by cupping his cheek and angling his face towards her. When he finally could see her the recognition lit up in his eyes and he managed a week but genuine smirk.

"…your hands are cold."

Regardless of how angry she was with his awful decision and how anxious he had made her by not waking from the surgery right away, Chi let out a breathy laugh and threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his chest and minding to stay on his good side as the tears refused to stay at bay any longer.

"You idiot." She whispered against his skin, giving him a squeeze.

Chase grunted a little in response to the abruptness of it all but brought his hands up to loosely gather her up. His side felt like it was on fire, like every rib had been broken twice over, but he felt her breath on his skin and the tickle of her hair brushing the surface still registered through. Hospital rooms were always stale and off-putting but even still he could smell her, a very faint hint of citrus from a body spray he got her on their third date- a night of mall wandering and window shopping.

He laughed roughly in a tired, raspy chuckle and dipped his head to press his chapped, pale lips to the top of her head.

"Your idiot, though."

Park said nothing, relaxing against him there on the hospital bed. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted someone at the window and a moment later realized it was Adams. A glance up at Chase confirmed that he had already drifted back off to sleep and she let out a shaky exhale. It was never her intention to steal his interest away from Adams, nor did she want her co-worker to find out about them in this manner but recent events proved just how unpredictable life could be. All Chi could think to do when their eyes met was to nod once. Something in her settled when Adams did the same and walked away.

Park and Chase were together.

To say that Jessica Adams was surprised was an understatement but as she hurried down the hallway, away from her discovery, she scolded herself for her superficiality- of course someone like Chase could fall for someone like Park, it just didn't happen often. Still, Park was…weird. In knowing, Chase's disinterest in her then made sense and for some reason she felt guilty that that made her feel better- it wasn't that she wasn't attractive, Chase was just distracted. It was hard for her to put into words how she felt as she rushed for the elevator and so the uncertainty added to the upset of discovering Chase and Park were an item. She all of a sudden felt so stupid, having been dropping hints that went unnoticed and putting energy into the pursuit of something unobtainable. She also wasn't used to guys like Chase being unobtainable which proved that she knew nothing about him at all, her assumptions baseless.

Worst of all it left her alone again.

Adams raised a hand to stifle what ended up being a squeak right before the tears started to run down her cheeks. Noticing that she was right by the Diagnostics department she put her head down and trotted for the elevator, not even bothering to chance a glance through the door.

Everyone was going to find out, eventually.

It was the only thing he had said to Chase when the younger doctor came to him for confidentiality and the name of a good Indian restaurant. House had no interest in interfering with the relationship, if only because at the time he was still being monitored, and thus limited, by the anklet.

And in reality, knowing Chase as he did, the two would operate so secretly that they might as well have not been screwing around. They would do their jobs, perhaps even go above and beyond, and it gave him leverage because House knew that Chase confessed without telling Park he was going to. In terms of their little ongoing game, House would never refuse an ace in the hole against Chase. It was just too perfect for him to bothering ruining it with his usual disregard. The only drawback was that he knew something Adams didn't she she would be oblivious to him so long as she was fawning over Chase. The Aussie had a thing for having his ego pet so did nothing to dissuade her. It was simply the right thing to do to discourage him, which was the real reason why Chase ended up with orange hair the day of the fated differential.

It was also why he sent Park to tend to Chase and said nothing when Adams dropped by to let him know she was going by his room to visit and check his charts.

Now here was his chance and he couldn't move from his chair. Hands gripped the telltale grey and red ball with a bit of force, brilliant blues following the hurried form as it crossed in front of his office. There would never be a better opportunity to move in and he knew this because he'd manufactured the opportunity himself. House sat forward and took two pills from the arrangement on his desk so he could dry swallow them and forced himself to his sneakers. By the time he stepped into the hallway she was at the elevator and so he doubled his efforts. To his horror, he called out with a subtle hint of desperation.

"Adams."

Anything but this.

She was willing to deal with _anything_ but this. Not House, not now.

She sighed with her finger on the button but she finally let go and stepped away, watching longingly as the elevator sunk down. Adams swiped quickly at her eyes and turned to face him, her posture straightening.

"House."

His approach was hurried, to the point he was out of breath- interesting, considering he very rarely exerted himself. When he reached her he seemed at a loss for words- also noteworthy because she was used to him tearing in without so much as a warning. And so it came to be that they stood there staring at each other for an awkward eternity, the words unspoken between them exchanged through unsure glances and timid, hungry staring. House finally spoke up though he kept his gaze on the floor, the basset hound stare roaming around the area until he looked up at her like a puppy that had an accident.

"I still owe you a cup of coffee."

He waited a moment before sidenoting.

"…as in coffee coffee, not _coffee_ coffee, though that's an option too if you want to skip formalit-"

He was cut off by her lips on his, soft and full and luscious- deceivingly so as you wouldn't know it to look at them. He closed his eyes and started to kiss back when he felt her lock her arms around his neck and press her hips close, his free hand resting firm against the small of her back. They had to keep the embrace brief but even a short moment seemed like a drink of water after a very long summer. Adams eased away and he was sure she was going to make a run for it so he was genuinely surprised when she moved to take his hand and pressed the elevator button again. Something new and vibrant shone in her eyes, her smirk playful as she gave his hand a squeeze and looked straight ahead at the elevator doors.

"I drink tea."


End file.
